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The saga of the Indian National Movement, with its unique leadership and ideological foundation, continues to engage those interested in the history of India.

This volume takes its readers through the panorama of modern Indian history with all its trials and tribulations, and keeps it intellectually stimulating all through the narrative. This book attempts to present its case, free from ideological biases. The result of a lifelong engagement with teaching and research, this book incorporates the sharp classroom debates and analysis of bright and committed students, thus enriching its formulations and interpretations.

It provides a fresh look at the national struggle for independence and attempts to provoke, promote and unleash, critical and creative thinking among the student community. In the process, it seeks to relieve them from the drudgery of working as intellectual foot soldiers to the authorities in our academia.

This book marks a departure from the earlier studies in terms of its new and updated sources as well as in its freedom from the great ideological divides that continue to bedevil our academic life. As such, it avoids both the extremes of woolly sentimentalism and ideology-based debunking.

Essentially eclectic and synthesizing in its approach, and written in a lucid style, the book covers different phases and facets of our national struggle. To that end, it adopts a thematic, rather than a chronological narrative. The book will prove invaluable for students of political science and modern India history, as well as general readers.

Contents

PART I: THE BRITISH CHALLENGE AND THE INDIAN RESPONSEThe Story of the British Conquest of IndiaImpact of British Rule on Indian AgricultureImpact of British Rule on Indian IndustriesImpact of British Rule on the Socio-Cultural Life of IndiaIndian Responses to the British Challenge

PART II: THE MAINSTREAM OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENTFounding of the Indian National CongressThe Moderates and the Indian Freedom StrugglePartition of Bengal and the Swadeshi MovementThe Extremists and the Indian Freedom StruggleThe Home Rule Movement: An AppraisalLucknow PactKhilafat MovementNon-Cooperation MovementSwaraj PartySimon CommissionNehru ReportCivil Disobedience MovementThe Gandhi- Irwin PactThe Round Table ConferenceCommunal AwardThe Act of 1935 and the Indian Freedom MovementQuit India MovementMahatma Gandhi’s Contributions to the Freedom Struggle in India

PART III: THE MINOR STREAMS OF THE INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENTRole of the Communist Party of India in the Indian Freedom StruggleThe Congress Socialist Party and the Indian Freedom StrugglePeasant Movements and the Indian Freedom StruggleTrade Union Movement and the Indian Freedom StruggleTribal Movements and the Indian Freedom StruggleRole of Women in the Indian National MovementThe Backward Classes, the Depressed ClassesMovement and the Indian Freedom StrugglePrincely India and the Freedom Movement

PART IV: ARMED REBELLION AND THE INDIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENTArmed Revolutionary Movement and the Indian Freedom StruggleThe Ghadar Party and its Role in the Indian Freedom StruggleThe Revolutionary Movement 1925-1934The Indian National Army and India’s Struggle for Independence

PART V: TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE AND PARTITIONThe Cripps MissionThe Cabinet PlanThe Mountbatten Plan and the Partition of IndiaMuslim Separatism and the Indian Freedom Movement: A Historical SurveyThe Partition of India: An OverviewAppendicesI. Historiography of Colonialism and Nationalism in India: An OverviewII. Colonialism and Theories of ImperialismIII. Chronology of Major Events from Ad 1600 to 1947 Select BibliographyIndex